Album Review: Tomas Barfod / ‘Salton Sea’ (Friends of Friends)

★★★★☆

The Danish producer with credits for Get Physical and Kompakt builds deep electro house that always has something to offer and will surprise you as it goes. In nautical terms, Barfod catches an unexpected wave after a period of lapping at your feet, but is just as likely to subside back to calm in the twinkle of an eye and still keep the album’s thread going. There’s no musical journey maxim being cornered either, it’s the in and out of the tide that makes progress and with much in common.

Languid elfin pop “Broken Glass” finds solace far away from the dance floor with its kooky chord arrangements and differing made-to-fit sections, backed by “Till We Die” playing clam-shell percussion. Cosmic discoers “Came to Party” and “Python” reroute again, one airy and embracing, the other stern and guarded, both still keeping a solid fit. Then the mixture of pop leaning towards the left and direct to the dance floor comes with an intersection: both “Don’t Understand” and “November Skies” have a cunningly grand scheme about them from modest openings.

Sometimes it’s not the change in style, just a technique or effect that catches your ear, so for example, with “Aether,” it’s like lobbing a stone into still waters and seeing how the ripples pattern out. A fine sea shanty.
File under: Tahloula, WhoMadeWho, Filur